Most Influential: Fairmount Minerals in Geauga puts community first

Fairmount Minerals was established in 1978 and has since provided a place of employment as well as a source of support for its surrounding Geauga County communities.

The company employs 60 Geauga County residents at its Chardon headquarters and 750 people worldwide, and each employee receives one week of paid time specifically set aside to volunteer in their communities, President Jenniffer Deckard said.

Last year, Fairmount donated 12,500 volunteer hours, she added.

Deckard has been with Fairmount for 18 years, and assumed the role of president in January 2011.

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She's quick to explain that she doesn't run the show, and that the efforts of the company come from a team of leaders as well as the employees themselves.

In being selected as one of the influential people of the area, Deckard explained her take on influence.

"It's not about being influential in the community, it's about meeting the unmet needs of our community and more importantly, of our children in the community," she said. "People who are given the privilege of leadership have a responsibility to utilize the relationships that come with leadership to accomplish good things for our community and for our people."

Fairmount as a company and the Deckard family both have taken steps to meet the needs of the community's children.

The Chardon Healing Fund, created to help the Chardon High School shooting victims and their families and managed by the United Way Services of Geauga County, was established by the company and family, and Fairmount donated the first $100,000 to the fund, Deckard said.

The community showed their commitment with their additional donations.

"People want to help. It's been an amazing testament ... we have collected over $800,000," she said.

A youth activities fund was also established by her family in order to provide funds for children in foster families. That fund is managed by the United Way, and Geauga Family First Council determines the best way to utilize the money, whether it be for laptops for students or college assistance, Deckard said.

The Deckard family has also been actively involved with foster children, as they have been foster parents for seven over the past 10 years, she said.